Andrew Mills/The Star-LedgerWill Justin Tuck and the Giants be able to celebrate during the postseason? Not if the Cowboys and Packers do not lose.LANDOVER, Md. – The man in the red suit had a message for the Giants after their 45-12 laugher over the Redskins, and it was important enough that he decided to deliver it himself.

“That’s your Christmas present!” Santa Claus himself – or at least the guy dressed as him at FedEx Field – yelled into the visiting locker room minutes after the Giants pranced like reindeer over the home team.

It was a delightful gift, too, better than any plasma TV or Xbox game they might find under their tree in a few days. The Redskins made the Giants look like a very good football team again, reminding them of what they can still accomplish when they play at a high level.

Now they wonder: Are they finally back to the early-season form that got them off to a 5-0 start?

Or are the Redskins, dealing with more off-the-field nonsense than any team should, just that bad?

That was the sobering part of this celebration. The Giants might have looked like the team everyone expected to see this season, but unless the Cowboys or the Packers lose a game, this was all meaningless.

“We needed that!” Ahmad Bradshaw said as he embraced team CEO John Mara after the win.

They did. They still need more.

Mostly, they need to keep playing like this. The Redskins are not good, despite all the praise Tom Coughlin threw their way after the game. They trailed 24-0 late in the first half when head coach Jim Zorn called a fake field goal that the jayvee coaches at Landover High wouldn’t try.

His team lined up in field-goal formation, then seven players ran toward the far sideline to line up again in a play that might as well be called “Please Fire Me Now!” If the goal was to confuse the Giants, it was a smashing success.

If the goal was to score points – that’s usually the goal, right? – it was less of a good idea.

A wobbly pass was picked off and nearly returned for a touchdown. The ‘Skins may have changed general managers during the week, but until this a franchise lacking a rudder.

Still: At times, the Giants looked they way they looked during that 2007 playoff run. The time-consuming scoring drives. The disruptive pass rush. The big plays and the forced turnovers.

Eli Manning continued his best season, completed passes to 10 different receivers for 268 yards and three touchdowns. Ahmad Bradshaw looked like the dominant back this team has needed. Nobody can question the overall effort.

“We were the team that had more at stake,” Coughlin said, “and we played that way.”

Most of all, the Giants defense looked right again. The Redskins went three-and-out on their first three possessions. They had two first downs in the half, and one came when quarterback Jason Campbell ran for his life after all his receivers were covered.

“I’m not going to go so far to say we got it back,” said defensive end Osi Umenyiora, who had one of the five Giants sacks. “It’s one game. It was an important game, yes. But it’s one game.”

It wouldn’t be the first time a Giants team got well after coming here. In 2006, they had lost six of seven games when they arrived in Landover. Tiki Barber rushed for 234 yards and three touchdowns to lead the team to the postseason – and probably save Coughlin’s job.

In 2007, they came here at 0-2 and trailed 17-3 before saving their season with 14 fourth-quarter points. That game ended with that epic goal-line stand. That season ended with the Lombardi Trophy.

Who knows what this trip and victory will bring? They still do not control their own destiny, and one of the teams they are chasing, the Cowboys, get to mop up these same Redskins in six days.

“We know what we can do,” Bradshaw said. “We’ve been in this position when we have to win games late in the season just to get where we want to be. We want to win out and see how far that takes us.”

Santa had one big gift in his sack for the Giants last night. Now they wonder: Will he have another?